Apparatus for coating pipe



APPARATUS FOR COATING PIPE Filed April 29, .1942

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'7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR LeopQ/o DeF/ore May 16, 1944.

1.. DEFIORE v APPARATUS FOR COATING PIPE Filed April 29, 1942 '7Sheets-Sheet 2 1 INVENTOR Leopo/dDeF/ore May 16, 1944. L; DEFIOREAPPARATUS FOR COATING PIPE Filed April 29, 1942 'r Sheets-Sheet sINVENTOR Leopold DeF/ore %A/4z4 W May 16, 1944. DEFlORE 2,348,714

Y APPARATUS FOR COATING PIPE Filed April 29, 1942 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 N g:IN VENTOR Leopo/oDeF/or'e May 16, 1944. 2,348,714

L. DEFIORE APPARATUS FOR G OA TING PIPE Filed April 29, 1942 7 SheetsSheet 5 INVENTOR Zeopo/o DeF/or May 16, 1944.

L. DEFIORE APPARATUS FOR COATING PIPE Filed April 29, .1942

7 Sheets-Sheet '7 \NVENTOR L eopo/aDeF/br'e pipe and, in particular, tothe V Patented May 16, 1944 g APPARATUS FOR COATING PIPE LeopoldDeflore, Youngstown, Ohio, assignor to The Youngstown Sheet and TubeCompany, a

corporation of Ohio Application April 29, 1942, Serial No. 440,921

6 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of application of a protectivecoating to the pipe.

It has been proposed heretofore to apply protective coatings of varioustypes to. pipe of certain classes, in order to prolong the life thereof.It is the object of my invention to provide an apparatus whereby thisoperation may be performed expeditiously and efliciently. While effortshave been made heretofore to provide apparatus for applying a protectivecoating to pipe, none of them, so far as I am aware, has achieved thedesired objective with any reasonable de gree of satisfaction, all ofthem being characterlzed by certain inherent objectionable features,

I have invented a novel apparatus for coating articles, particularlyelongated articles such as pipe lengths, whereby a coating may beapplied thoroughly an! rapidly to the entire exposed surface of thearticle witha high degree of economy in the use of coating material anduniform-v ity in the thickness and character of the applied coating. Ina preferred embodiment and practice of the invention, I support thearticle to be coated, e. g., a length of pipe, in a generally horizontalposition. If the interior of the pipe is to be coated, I provide amandrel adapted to penetrate the pipe throughout the full lengththereof, provided with suitable coating-applying means. I rotate thepipe about its longitudinal axis while traversing the coating-applyingmeans longitudinally thereof and continue rotation of the pipe lengthafter completion of the traverse, to insure uniform distribution of thecoating material untfl it has set to a substantially non-fluidcondition.-

To operate the mandrel, I employ a carriagetially along the plane ofline XII-XII of Figsupporting means, including a guide trough in whichthe mandrel rides. A tank for holding coating material is mounted on thecarriage. The coating-applying means is connected to the tank and isprovided with suitable control means operable from a distance.

The means for supporting the pipe inposition for coating includes spacedpairs of rollers at least one or which is provided with driving meanswhereby the pipe may be rotated as above stated.

' I also provide means in the form of pivoted arms adapted to embrace apipe length while on the supports to prevent lateral displacementthereof ,whiie permitting the desired rotation during coating.

The invention will be described in greaterdetail herebelow and its novelfeatures and advantages more fully pointed out by reference to theaccompanying drawings illustrating the embodiment and practice referredto briefly above. In the drawings, v

Figures l-A and 1-3 together constitute a mandrel and its associatedelements taken substantially along the plane of the line III-III ofFigure 1A with parts in elevation;

Figure 4 is a View to enlarged scale showing some of the partsillustrated in section in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a side elevation to enlarged scale of the free end of themandrel, the coating-applying mechanism mounted thereon and the controlelement associated with the latter;

Figure 6 is a plan Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a plan view of one of the pairs of the supporting rollersincluding the drive therefor and the mechanism for holding a pipe lengthin position thereon;

Figure 8 is a view partly in section along the plane of line VIII-VIIIof Figure 7, but principally a side elevation of the pipe-supportingrollers and holding mechanism;

Figure 9 is a transverse sectional view taken along the plane of lineIX-IX of Figure 7;

Figure 10 is a similar sectional view taken along the line'XX of- Figure7;

Figure 11 is a transverse sectional view taken along the plane of lineXl-Xl of Figure 7 with parts in elevation; and Figure 12 is a sectionalview taken substanure'll.

' Referring now in detail to the drawings and, for the present, toFigures 1A, 1-3 and 2,

--the inventlon comprises spaced pairs of alinedpipe-supporting rollersI0, -II and I2. These rollers are adapted to receive pipe lengths suchas that indicated at I 3 from entering skids l4 and supportthem duringthe coating operation.

The mechanisms for holding the pipe against displacement from thesupporting rollers during coating are indicated diagrammatically at l5and I6. Driving mechanism indicated generally at- I1 is provided for oneof the pairs of supporting rollers.

An axially reciprocable mandrel l8is disposed in alinement with a pipelength, positioned on the supporting rollers, one end thereof beingsecured to a wheeled carriage IS, the other end being free and providedwith coating-applying mechanism indicated generally'at 20. The mandrelmay conveniently take the form of a pipe of suitable length anddiameter.

The carriage I! has wheels 2| traveling along spaced rails 22 supportedon trestles 28 fabriview of the parts shown in cated from suitablestructural members. The rails 22 may conveniently be lengths of pipes ofsuitable size, the wheels 2| being of appropriate contour.

A guide trough 24 is supported centrally between the rails 22 onbrackets 25 adjustable vertically of the upper cross members 26 of theand rails 22 are disposed between the latter, be-

ing received in suitable notches in the cross members 26 of the trestles23. Guide sheaves 3| are carried in brackets 32 adjustably secured tothe trestle 23 nearest the pipe-supporting rollers. Driving sheaves 33are secured to a shaft 34 journaled in suitable bearings transversely ofthe rails 22 and adjacent the left-hand end thereof, as viewed in Figure1A. The shaft 34 is driven by a motor 35 through a gearreducer 36.Cables 31 trained around the sheaves 3| and 33 have their ends securedto carriage I9 as at 31a and 311;. By this arrangement, the carriage maybe driven along the rails 22 by operating the motor 35 in one directionor the other. As shown in Figure 4, the lower runs of the cables 31 ridein the channels 30.

An underground storage tank 39 for coating fluid such as bituminouspaint has a dome 40 projecting above ground provided with a manhole andcover. A transfer tank 4| is mounted beside and above the rails 22 on asupporting tower 42. A pump 43 has a suction-line connection 44 to thetank 39 and a delivery connection 45 to the tank 4|. An overflowconnection 46 extends from the tank 4| backto the tank 39. A travelingtank 41 on the carriage I9 is adapted to be filled from the transfertank 4|. For this purpose, the latter is provided with a valved outlet48 adapted to discharge into a funnel 49 carried on the tank 41. Whenthe tank 41 hasbeen filled with coating material, I preferably maintaina substantial pressure of air above the level of the liquid. To maintainsuch pressure, of course, the inlet to which the funnel 49 is connectedmust have a valve which is opened to admit fluid but is closed at othertimes. A suitable check valve (not shown) will suflice for this purpose.For the convenience of the operator in supervising the filling of thetank 41, I provide a platform 58 adjacent-the tower 42 and partlysupported thereon. A ladder 5| permits the operator to mount theplatform 56 readily.

-An air pipe 52 and a coating fluid pipe 53 extend alongside the mandrel|8 being carried on the triangular plates 29, as shown in Figure 4. Theair pipe is connected to any suitable source of compressed air by aflexible hose. The air for maintaining the desired pressure in the tank41 is preferably tapped from the pipe 52' at' any convenient point. Thepipe 53 is connected to a valve 54 adjacent the free end of the mandrel|8 from which a coating-applying means such as a spray nozzle 55 extendsforwardly. The valve and nozzle are carried on a supporting platform 56secured to the mandrel by clamping brackets 51. The air pipe 52 isconnected to an air valve 58 which discharges into the valve 54,inducing a. flow of coating fluid therethrough on opening of the valveand aids in producing a fine spray at the nozzle 55' distributeduniformly in all directions radially thereof. The valves 54Suitable-manually operated control valves for I the air andfluid pipes52 and 53 are located adjacent the carriage l9. When it is desired tostart a coating operation, the manual valves in both pipes are opened.The air admitted to the cylinder 69 as a result opens the valves 54 and58 whereby coating fluid flowing through the pipe 53 is induced throughthe valve 54 by the air flowing through valve 58 to form a coatingspray. The manual valve in the coating fluid pipe 53 is not closed untilthe apparatus is to be shut down. At the end of the coating operation,the manual valve in the air pipe 52 is closed whereupon the valves 54and 58 close. The several steps involved in a complete coating operationwill be described in proper sequence after the description of theremainder of the apparatus.

The pipe-supporting rollers and th means for holding the pipe thereonare illustrated in detail in Figures 7 through 12. As there illustrated,each of the pairs of rollers IO, M and I2 r includes a base 62 havingspaced bearing standards 63 thereon in the form of short lengths ofchannels. Bearing 64 are secured to the standards by bolts 65 and have ashaft 66 journaled therein on which roller 61 is mounted. As best shownin Figure 10, the roller includes metal hub and rim portions 68 and 69and a peripheral portion 10 of rubber or like material. The channels 63are cut down at one end and provided with ways 1| to which-a bearinghousing 12 is gibbed. A shaft 13 is joumaled in bearings 14 mounted inthe housing and has a roller 15 thereon similar to the roller 61.

Transverse webs 16 and 11 have bearings 16 I and 19 therein in which isjournaled a screw portion 8| shaft 89. The shaft is threaded through anut depending from the housing 12 between the ways 1|. The shaft89 isprovided with thrust collars and a lock nut whereby, on rotationof theshaft, the housing 12 may be moved along the ways 1| and secured inadjusted positions. This adjustment permits the roller 15 to bepositioned properly with reference to roller 61 to accommodat varioussizes of pipe, as illustrated in chain lines in Figure 9 at |3a, |3b andI30. The shaft 88 is squared at its exposed end to receive a wrench orcrank.

The echanism for driving the rollers 61 and I 15 of pair, |9 includes amotor 82 and a gear reducer 83 mounted on a base 84 and connected by 89is trained around the sprocket 88 and a sprocket 96 on a shaft 9|. Thisshaft-is journaled in bearings 92 mounted on standards 92a carried on abase 93. A shaft 94 is coupled to a shaft 9| through a universal joint95 and to one end of the shaft I2 by a universal joint 90. By

this arrangement, the roller I5 is driven at the same speed as theroller 61, regardless of its posiand MI are journaled in suitablebearings I02 mounted on the standards 98 and 99. Arms I03 and I04 arekeyed to the shafts I and IOI, respectively, and have meshing toothedsegmental portions I05 and I06 thereon. A bell crank I01 is keyed to oneend of shaft IIII which projects beyond the end of shaft I00, as shownin Figure 7. One arm of the crank is pivoted at I08 to the piston rod ofa pneumatic cylinder and piston I09 having trunnions IIO journaled inbearings III. The hearings are carried on standards II2 resting on thebase 91. Reciprocation of the piston of the cylinder I09 causessimultaneous and equal angular movements'of the arms I03 and I04 fromthe positions in which they are shown in solid lines in Figure 11 to thepositions shown in chain lines. In the former positions, the arms areeffective by means to ,be described shortly, to hold a pipe length onthe supporting rollers 61 and I5. In the latter position, the arms areopen to permit a pipe length to be positioned on the rollers from skidsI4 or discharged therefrom onto skids I I3 (see Figure 1). In order todischarge a' pipe lengthfrom the rollers onto skids II3, I providelifting levers II4 pivoted at H5 in bearings carried on standards 99. Asshown in the drawings, the levers I I4 are normally in lowered positionwith their free ends resting on the hubs of the bell cranks IN. Thelatter have arms I I5 adapted to raise the levers II4 by camming actionas the cranks are moved clockwise, as viewed in Figure 11. The upliftedposition of the levers I I4 is indicated therein in chain lines.Obviously a pipe length on the supporting rollers is gradually displacedand transferred to the skids I I3 on elevation of the lifting levers H4.

The arms I03 and I04, as clearly shown in Figure 12, have spaced sidewalls I" and transverse webs II 8 and H9. Each arm is provided with aroller housing I gibbed to ways I2I ex tending therealong. A screw shaftI22 is journaled in the webs H8 and II9 ofeach arm and is threadedthrough a nut portion I23 extending from the housing I20 between theside walls III. By means of thrust collars and lock nuts, the bearinghousings may be adjusted to the desired position along the ways I2I andsecured at such position.

A shaft I24 is fixed in each housing I20. Pipeengaging rollers I25 arerotatable on the shafts I24 by virtue of anti-friction bearings I26. Itwill be apparent that, by proper adjustment of the housings I20 on thearms I03 and I04, the rollers I25 will have tangential engagement with apipe length on the supporting rollers, when the arms are closed to thenecessary eiitent. The.

rollers I25 preferably have a peripheral portion I2I of rubber or thelike. The positions of the rollers for variou pipe sizes are illustratedin chain lines in Figure 11. For the maximum pipe sizes, the arms arenot closed to the extent illustrated in solid lines in Figure 11 butonly to the extent permitted. by the engagement of the rollers I25 withthe pipe.

In order to disclose fully the functioning of my invention, a completecycle of the operations carried out by the aid of the apparatusillustrated 'lnthedrawingswillnowbedescribedandexplained. At thebeginning of an operating cycle, the carriage I9 and mandrel I9 will befully retracted and the tank 41 will have suflicient coating fluidtherein to cover the full length of the pipe being treated. The arms I03and I04, furthermore, will be opened by operation of cylinder andpistons I09 far enough to clear the entering pipe length but not farenough to tilt the lifting levers H4. The pipe length to be coated isrolled down entry skids I4 under manual control or by power-driven feedmechanism and the pipe length comes to rest on the rollers 61 and I5,being jointly supported by the several pairs thereof indicated generallyat I0, II and I2. The position of the pipe length on the rollers isindicated in chain lines in Figure 9. The pistons and cylinders I09 arethen operated to close the arms I03 and I04 until the rollers I25 engagethe exterior of the pipe length. The housings I20, of course, will beadjusted along the arms to positions appropriate to the size of pipebeing'coated.

When the pipe length has been positioned on the supporting rollers, themotor 35 is started in the proper direction to move the carriage I9toward the pipe length so that the end of the mandrel traverses theinterior thereof. As shown in Figures I-A and I-B, the mandrel is subonthe axis of the pipe length being coated.

'When the mandrel enters the pipe length, the ball casters 2! on theformer travel on the interior of the latter in the same manner as theynozzle 55 is just beyond the far end'of the pipe rest on the interior ofthe pipe length.

length, the motor 35 is stopped. It will be understood that with themandrel in this position, the casters 2'I nearest the free end thereofstill The mandrel is preferably somewhat longer than the maximum lengthof pipe to be coated. For coating 50 ft. pipe lengths the mandrel mayconveniently be about 60 ft. long.

When the mandrel has been positioned as described above, with the nozzle55 slightly beyond the far end of the pipe length, the motor 92 isstarted to drive the rollers 51 and 15 of pair I0 and thereby turn thepipe length about its longitudinal axis. As the pipe turns, the ballvalve in the coating fluid pipe 53 is left open during the continuanceof coating operations and is closed only during shut-down periods atwhich time the fluid remaining in the pipe should be exhausted bycontinuing the air supl lto prevent solidification of the coating fluidin the pipe 53. Admission of compressed air to the pipe' 52 causes thepiston in the cylinder 50 to ads Vance. thereby actuating the lever 59to open the valves 54 and 58. This causes the nozzle 55 to discharge aplurality of radial jets of coating fluid at m Velocity.

While the axes of the larger sizesof With the pipe length rotating aboutits longitudinal axis and the nozzle discharging radial jets of coatingfluid, the motor 35 is operated in the proper direction to cause returnof the carriage l9 and mandrel 18 to their starting positions, at asuitable speed, e. g., 100' per minute. As the mandrel returns, thenozzle delivers coating fluid onto the interior of the pipe length andthe rotation of the pipe insures thorough coat- 55. The motor 35 is alsostopped. The operation of the motor 82, however, is continued tomaintain rotation of the pipe length for a suflicient period after thecompletion of the actual operation of applying the coating, to permitsetting or solidification of the latter. By rotating the pipe duringsetting or solidification of the coating, uniform distribution thereofis assured by the resulting centrifugal action and any accumulation ofan excess of coating fluid at' the bottom of the pipe length is avoided.

When the coating has set sufllciently, the motor 82 is stopped and airadmitted to the cylinder I09 to advance the piston therein, therebyswinging the bell cranks J01 clockwise, opening the arms I03 and HM andtilting the lifting levers H4. clear the supporting rollers and rollsdown the levers H4 onto .the discharge sids H3.

It will, be apparent from the foregoing that the invention ischaracterized by important advantages and provides an apparatus foruniformly coating the interior of pipe thoroughly and rapidly. Byproducing radial jets of coating fluid and traversing them through thepipe length while rotating the latter about its longitudinal axis,complete coverage is obtained and bare spots eliminated. This is ofprime importance in the application of protective coatings. Theinvention provides simple and effective means for successively placingpipe lengths in position to be coated and for positively holding themduring the coating operation. While the invention is particularly suitedto the treatment of pipe in the larger sizes, i. e., from 8 to 24 inchesin diameter, it may be utilized for even smaller pipe.

The invention includes provisions for easily adjusting the apparatus toaccommodate pipe of various sizes. The construction of the variouselements is simple and readily accessible so that no serious maintenanceproblem is involved.

The pipe length is thus raised to said carriage with its other end andthe intermediate portion free to ride in said trough as said carriagetravels therealong, coating means including a spray nozzle mounted Onthe mandrel adjacent said free end, and means supplying coating materialto said coating means.

2. Apparatus for coating pipe comprising spaced pairs of rollers forsupporting a length of pipe in horizontal position, a pair of armspivoted below the position of a pipe length on said rollers and adaptedto embrace the pipe length while on said rollers, said arms havingrollers for engaging the pipe length, means for closing said arms abouta length of pipe on said first-mentioned rollers, a guide trough inalinement with said first-mentioned rollers, a mandrel reciprocable insaid trough, means for traversing the mandrel to cause it to enter apipe length on said firstmentioned rollers, and coating means mounted onsaid mandrel adjacent the entering end thereof. 3. Apparatus for coatingpipe comprising spaced pairs of rollers for supporting a length of pipein horizontal position, a pair of arms pivoted below the position of apipe length on said rollers and adapted to embrace the pipe length whileon said rollers, means for closing said arms about a length of pipe onsaid rollers a guide trough in alinement with said rollers, a mandrelreciprocable in said trough, means for traversing the mandrel to causeit to enter a pipe length on said rollers, and coating means mounted onsaid mandrel adjacent the-entering end thereof. 4. Apparatus for coatingpipe comprising spaced supports for holding a length of pipehorizontally, a guide trough in alinement with said supports, a carriagetraveling along over said trough, a mandrel having one end secured tosaid carriage with its other end and the intermediate portion free to\ride in said trough as said carriage travels therealong,coating-applying means mounted on the mandrel adjacent the free endthereof, ,a

compressed-air line and a coating-fluid line on said mandrel connectedto said means, and valves in said lines adjacent said means controllingthe admission of air and fluid to said means.

5. Apparatus for coating pipe comprising spaced supports for holding alength of pipe horizontally,

a guide trough in alinement with said supports, a carriage travelingalong over said trough, a mandrel having one end secured to saidcarriage with its other end 'and the intermediate portion free to ridein said trough as said carriage travels therealong,-coating-applyingmeans mounted on the mandrel adjacent the free end thereof, acompressed-air line and a coating-fluid line on said mandrel connectedto said means, valves in Although I have illustrated and described but 1a preferred embodiment and practice of the invention, it will beunderstood that changes in the construction and operation disclosed maybe made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scopeof the appended claims.

I claim: a,

1. Apparatus for coating pipe comprising spaced supports for holding alength of pipe horizontally, an elongated plate curved transversely andpositioned to provide a guide trough in alinement with said supports, acarriage traveling along over said trough, a mandrel having one endsecured to said lines adjacent said means controlling the.

admission of air and fluid to said means and a pneumatic motor mountedon said mandrel having operating connections to said valves.

6. Apparatus for coating pipe comprising spaced supports for holding alength of pipe horizontally, a guide trough in alinement with saidsupports, rails extending along said trough, a carriage traveling onsaid rails, a mandrel secured to the carriage at one end, the other endand intermediate portion being free to ride in said trough, sheavesspaced along said rails, a cable trained over said sheaves and securedto said carriage, a drive for one of said sheaves whereby to traversethe carriage and mandrel along the rails and trough, and a guide. troughfor said cable parallel to said first-mentioned trough.

LEOPOLD DEFIORE.

